I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book was a sweet romance. It’s hard to say too much without spoilers. I loved seeing Fenny’s confidence grow. This was very reminiscent of Seven Year Slip, so if you’ve read that then you will catch on pretty quickly to what is going on.

Thanks to the Publisher and Netgalley for access to this ARC.

Even since reading a Novel Live Story by Ashley Poston, I've been interested in reading romance stories with Magical Realism.

This story definitely followed a similar themes of Ashley Poston books where the magic is just that..magical. it's not explained. The book was s owell written I didnt really deeply question why the magic occured.

I mostly focused in on the romamce and for that I got a double treat. Really it was two romance stories that merged together. One was a insta lust vacation romance with a man a decade younger then the fmc. One was a slow burn rivals to friends to more with an man the same age as her.

The fmc is hilarious with her ambition for her job blinding her to see what is right In Front if her, tossing a opportunity to get to know a wonderful man for a career ambition grudge.

Thankfully she eventually starts seeing what is in front of her and piecing together the mystery of her teo lives that are so similar yet so different.

I would definitely recommend 📚 this book.

Ehh, but okay for me. Found myself speed reading even though it was a super fast read to begin with. Left me wanting more, which is a bummer because I loved Lauren Kate's YA back in the day and was looking forward to reading more of her now.

2.5

I think this could’ve been a 5 star read for me if the actual story was more like the final third act the entire time (with Fenny’s friends helping her + the One Soul understanding) because based on reading the premise, it made the story feel so sluggish and redundant to read her go through the motions of putting it all together despite redly having all the answers from the start. Idk something about it happening so late in the book made chapters 25 & 26 feel like such a drag, despite having a more fun and fast-paced vibe.

I did enjoy both Sam & Jude, I felt like their characterization being tied to the story worked well especially given Jude’s development but it felt a little conflict for conflict’s sake to have Jude’s lack of explanation be constantly interrupted + I dont think the book did a good job of explaining why exactly Fenny wouldn’t have immediately returned to find Sam (especially when she was basically instructed to do as much, and she does end up doing so…idk it just felt like why did we have to do all this extra stuff that did not really feel like much besides Jude having his meet-cute and friends/rivals to lovers cake and eating it too…) because her growth in regards to her job did not really feel earned either ?

That being said, it has a nice little surface level LA resident who went to Catalina on vacay and fell in love feel that was easy to read and I was very interested in seeing how everything wrapped up which kept me from DNFing

Thank you so much to Netgalley & Penguin Group Putnam for this ARC to review!

speculative romance is quickly becoming one of my favorite subgenres of romance, and this book is no exception. the speculative elements here weren’t as strong as i’d like them to be, but ultimately this was a great swoony romance with two likable leads.

📖 Book Review 📖 On her last weekend before her well-earned and deserved directorial debut, Feeney has an almost magical escape to Catalina island for some quiet R & R. And while she is at first annoyed by the disruption during a storm, a rescue attempt by the handsome Sam and a steamy little weekend romance was just the rejuvenation she needed to add a little extra pep to her step. The universe works in ways that we will probably never truly understand. In a twist of strange unexplained reality twists, she arrives back to reality to find out that she has been replaced by a director named Jude - who just happens to be handsome, rugged, hero Sam’s doppelgänger. In the most harmonious blend of humor and philosophy, Lauren Kate explores destiny, love, and our connections in her latest novel. Even if philosophy is not your thing, The Spirit of Love explores fate in the most beautiful way that will have you turning the pages faster than you realize!

This book was unexpected in the best way. It's a romcom with magical realism elements, so it's best to go in blind for the best reading experience. Really enjoyed this witty, fun, and romantic story.

Loved reading the mesmerizing and engaging romance story. After an unbelievable passionate man, Sam, who saves her, Fenny comes home to start being the director, but plans have changed and the well known director, Jude, has her job, and he looks a lot like an older Sam. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written, and a must read riveting love story.

I enjoyed this read! I kind of fell right into this story, and was hooked waiting to find out what happened. The turn of events had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out exactly how the story would end, which was so entertaining! The only thing I didn’t love was that it felt like everything happened so quickly, without a lot of buildup or development.

Overall, I liked the story and would recommend this book!

Thank you to PENGUIN GROUP Putnam | G.P. Putnam's Sons, Lauren Kate, and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Lauren Kate has embraced the light side of mysticism in this story about a couple of film creators finding themselves in love with each other in different timelines. Is this a spoiler, hmmm...maybe...but it's pretty obvious from the beginning, so I don't feel like I am giving anything away. The journey of the book for the reader is how the characters are going to figure this out and bring it all together.
This book was enjoyable and had a mix of tenderness and humor that is a crowd pleaser. I think most patrons would enjoy this book. Catalina Island gets a bit of a 'love letter' to it, as well as Venice, LA, and Joshua Tree, so this would be a great summer/vacation read.
Thanks so much for the ARC!

This was not what I was expecting it to be, but I loved it! I'm obsessed that Lauren Kate is writing Rom Coms now, and I can't wait to read more! There's a small part of me that feels like the ending was a little rushed, but otherwise, it was great! Moving, emotional, funny, romantic, and just sweet! Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher for my digital ARC!!

My biggest recommendation is to go into this book blind. Do NOT read the synopsis. There’s a spoiler in it that literally takes until the 90ish percent mark to snap into place and it was so distracting for me the whole book wondering when it would happen. What you need to know is that Lauren’s writing is insanely good, this is magical realism, and you’ll get some good cameo time with characters from What’s in a Kiss? I absolutely think this could have been a five star read for me had I not read the summary.
Fenny has the best romantic swept-off-her-feet weekend with Sam on Catalina before heading home to the job of her dreams. She can’t stop thinking about him even though their goodbye was less than ideal. Showing up to work for her first day as director of Zombie Hospital goes completely sideways when they demote and replace her with some guy named Jude who just happens to looks like an older and less buff version of Sam. Confused by her irrational feelings for Jude and irritation with the turmoil on set, Fenny tries her best to prove herself.
Besides the whole spoilery summary shenanigan, I couldn’t help but love Fenny and her merry chase for her job and happily ever after. It’s a fun novel that I will absolutely recommend to readers who adore the genre tied in with a celebrity romance in a Southern California setting. I’m definitely looking forward to another Lauren book at some point!
Thank you Putnam and NetGalley for the advanced copy. All thoughts are my own.

* I want to start by thanking the author and publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy of this book. wasnt expecting that!

DNF. The Spirit of Love had such an intriguing concept; however, it just didn't land for me. The magical realism aspect of the story felt bland. I agree with other reviewers that the "twist" of the story was spoiled in the book description. I wasn't the biggest fan of Fenny. I didn't like how rude she was with Sam and Jude during their first interactions. She was sort of mean! I didn't feel a connection with her or the boys. I also didn't like the narration style. I don't really like it when the narrator talks to readers. The writing wasn't my favorite. Thank you to NetGalley and G.P. Putnam's Sons for the ARC.

I think this is a book where you should absolutely go in cold, so I'll keep my review brief!

Fenny is a screenwriter and she is excited to finally get to direct the tv show she has worked on for a decade. However, things do not go to plan and she finds herself replaced at go time by a hotshot director who she wants nothing to do with.

Lauren's writing is gorgeous as always, the story is paced well, and there are some fun cameos from What's In A Kiss? I loved this book, and a lot of that is due to not reading the synopsis and picking it up because a friend said we should read it together.

Thank you to Putnam Books for the gifted copy. All thoughts are my own.

Super cute! If you're a fan of magical realism that you see in novels like Ashley Poston's, this would be up your alley! I think I was having trouble really connecting with the book and the characters, but it was still an amazing read!

First off I really liked the twist of the trope where the couple meet and then find out later they work together. It's a nice way to make a trope that gets used a lot and make it something different and new. As someone who really enjoyed time-slip romances from Ashley Poston I liked this one. The only issue I had was that the magical elements could've been explained a bit more.

Fenny has been waiting for this day for years. Having diligently worked her way up on the hit TV show Zombie Hospital, she’s about to step into her dream role as director.
However, on her first day, she’s blindsided and devastated when the producers inform her she’s being replaced.

She is absolutely shocked when she meets the new director, Jude, who looks bears an uncanny resemblance to Sam, the man she just had a brief but sexy encounter with this past weekend. Except that he looks a decade older and he doesn’t seem to recognize her.

Now, as Fenny is forced to work closely with the man who took her job, she’s determined to figure out the mystery of how Jude and Sam are connected. Despite her initial resentment, Fenny finds herself irresistibly drawn to Jude, leading her to face a difficult decision between her growing feelings for him and her lingering attraction to Sam.

This romcom follows through on its original premise, with witty dialogue, endearing characters and an enemies to lovers trope mixed with magical elements to create a vivid and life-affirming story of love across time and space.

This book's magical realism is what I adore about it; when done well, it's amazing, and it is here. The book is ideal for your summer getaway because it's quick and enjoyable to read. I was unable to simply put it down. perfect for fans of the seven year slip!

This was a cute story overall and I enjoy magical realism quite a bit. I was surprised at how long it took for Fenny to realize the connection between Jude and Sam. The pacing was pretty good for the entire story but the ending felt rushed considering face that we knew what was going to happen the whole time. Overall an enjoyable quick read! Thank you!